1989- 1993 “Moravia is a wonderful region for the simple reason that it is and it is not. Once upon a time in ancient history, it used to be a margravate loosely tied to the Czech Kingdom. Today, it merged with the Czechoslovak Federal Republic and its name appears only in the national weather forecast and national songs.” Poet Jan Skácel, 1988 Uniform mod. 95 in a desert design of a member of the Czech Armed Forces on foreign missions in the Middle East Vývojový model audienční uniformy pro příslušníky hudby Hradní stráže ČSFR podle návrhů Theodora Pištěka z roku 1990 The administrative organisation of the Czech Republic ignores the historical border of Moravia in many places, but Moravia is still present in many other areas. The current Moravia has become an integral part of Central Europe a long ago, yet today it still plays the role of an important connection between north and south Europe. The opening of the border after the accession to the European Union and to Schengen increased this role even further. Important transport links pass through Moravia today and their importance is likely to increase in the future. Moravia is a region relying on a few larger centres, where, next to the former provincial capital of Brno, important roles are played mainly by the regional capitals of Olomouc, Ostrava and Zlín. The assessment of the role of these cities and life in them cannot be limited to the cities themselves, but also the growing agglomerations around them. Important roles in the life of the large cities are played by universities, both traditional and newly established, research centres and other educational and scientific institutions. Only Jihlava ranks among smaller cities among regional capitals but its significance cannot be ignored. Transformation of the economy touched Moravian regions in different ways. The structure of job opportunities has changed, presenting a chance for development in new areas for some individuals and regions, and complications after the elimination of traditional businesses and the related jobs for others. Moravia was not affected by the transformation as severely as the adjacent parts of the Czech Silesia, but some areas still face significant challenges. The average age of the population is growing and the Moravian population is not ageing as much as other European regions. At the same time, processes typical of today’s Europe take place here - people move to cities or their vicinity more often, and peripheral rural areas are facing a shortage of young people and are getting older. Despite all the changes that the region encountered in recent decades, Moravia remains a specific area within Czech Republic and Europe. It adopts modern trends while maintaining enough traditions that distinguish it from its neighbours. Today’s Moravia in Europe Development model for audience uniform for musicians of the Castle Guard of the ČSFR according to the designs of Theodor Pištěk from 1990 A poster commemorating a visit by Queen Elizabeth II to Brno in March 1996